8th Regiment: Automatic

8th Field Artillery Regiment

“Audacieux et Tenace”

The U.S. Army Cadet Command established the Regimental Affiliation Program in 1985 to foster unit cohesion, camaraderie, esprit de corps, and the pride of belonging among the diverse groups of Cadets attending the Leader Development and Assessment Course from states around the nation.

Cadets attending LDAC have the unique privilege of being members of one of the Army’s finest combat units. Through the Regimental Affiliation Program, each Cadet organization is assigned to an active Army regiment. The goal of the program is to bind Cadets and cadre together in a close-knit and dynamic organizational relationship with a strong sense of teamwork so crucial to success at LDAC.

LDAC’s 8th Regiment is affiliated with the U.S. Army’s 8th Field Artillery Regiment. “Audacieux et Tenace”

History

The 8th Field Artillery Regiment has a proud and distinguished history of service to the nation. From World War I to the Persian Gulf War, the 8th Field Artillery Regiment has proved its courage and bravery.

The 8th Field Artillery was activated at Fort Bliss, Texas, on July 7, 1916 and subsequently deployed to France in August 1918 as part of the 7th Division. Arriving at the front late in World War I, the 8th performed occupation duty until returning to the United States in 1919.

During World War II the 8th valiantly supported the 27th Infantry Regiment through battles in the central Pacific theater to include Guadalcanal and Luzon. It was as a result of actions during World War II that the 8th Field Artillery earned its nickname. In March 1945, the 8th was firing in support of the 27th Infantry “Wolfhounds” during intense fighting on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. In a particularly intense encounter with attacking Japanese forces, the 8th fired over 1,100 rounds in a one-and-a-half-hour emergency barrage. The entire manpower of the regiment joined the gun crews to keep up the devastating firepower. Clerks, cooks, and wiremen left their jobs and became artillerymen, displaying a sense of esprit which has become the hallmark of the 8th Artillery. The fire delivered on the enemy forces that night destroyed them completely. The firing was so intense and constant the orders of the day described it as being as “automatic as a machine gun.” From this accolade was born the nickname, “Automatic.”

In July 1950, the 8th Artillery Regiment arrived in Korea with the 25th Division to help secure the Pusan perimeter. Once again, the team of the 27th Infantry Wolfhounds and the Automatic 8th proved formidable. The colors of the 8th were carried high in every major campaign of the Korean War.

During the Vietnam War, members of the 8th Field Artillery were a part of 13 major campaigns throughout Southeast Asia. In 1989, the 8th took part in Operation Just Cause, in Panama, followed by participation in the defense of Saudi Arbia and the liberation and defense of Kuwait in 1990 and 1991.

The Leader Development and Assessment Course, also known as Operation Warrior Forge, is the capstone exercise on the way to becoming a U.S. Army lieutenant.-Forging Professionals

ATTENTION:

All family and friends attending any of the LDAC graduation or commissioning ceremonies.
On-post or military lodging is limited to Department of Defense identification card holders. Non-DoD card holders are not permitted to stay in government lodging and should make appropriate reservations as necessary for off-post over night accommodations.